The Los Angeles Dodgers opened their nine-game road trip by defeating the Washington Nationals for only the second time in five opportunities this season.
Now the Dodgers look to further avenge their struggles in head-to-head meetings last week by clinching a series victory at Nationals Park on Wednesday night.
Sitting atop the National League West at 14-11, the Dodgers have played a middling brand of baseball in recent weeks, still working to gain their footing early in the regular season.
Landon Knacks takes the mound for his second career start. The right-hander faced the Nationals on April 17 at Dodger Stadium, and following a two-run first inning, Knack settled down in his MLB debut.
Knack was able to work his way through five solid innings in his first turn through the rotation, generating seven whiffs with four strikeouts on 75 pitches. Knack did allow a fair amount of hard contact, with the Nationals having seven hard-hit balls.
Knack has to try navigating a Nationals lineup that has had success against the Dodgers this year, with CJ Abrams and Jesse Winker doing damage in extra-base fashion.
Meanwhile, Jake Irvin is on the mound for Washington to make it a repeat pitching matchup. The 27-year-old has been solid in 2024, allowing just one run in his prior 12 innings pitched.
Overall, Irvin owns a 3.13 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, with 20 strikeouts over 23 innings pitched. Using a primary three-pitch mix of a four-seam fastball, curveball and sinker, the right-hander has another tough task on Wednesday.
In his most recent start versus the Dodgers, Irvin completed six shutout innings, tallying six strikeouts. To be successful, Irvin will need to keep hitters away from his curveball and sinker.
Mookie Betts is a matchup to watch, as he’s been the No. 1 hitter in baseball against sinkers, and ranks 26th overall against fastballs.
Shohei Ohtani has been on tear this season despite perceptions of getting off to a slow start. Ohtani enters play with a 25-game on-base streak.
Dodgers lineup
SS: Mookie Betts
DH: Shohei Ohtani
1B: Freddie Freeman
C: Will Smith
3B: Max Muncy
LF: Teoscar Hernández
CF: James Outman
2B: Gavin Lux
RF: Andy Pages
Nationals lineup
SS: CJ Abrams
LF: Jesse Winker
DH: Joey Meneses
2B: Luis García Jr.
RF: Joey Gallo
C: Riley Adams
CF: Eddie Rosario
3B: Nick Senzel
1B: Trey Lipscomb
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